Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Companies => Off-the-shelf companies => Black Cat Cricket => Topic started by: slogger02 on December 21, 2009, 08:07:49 PM
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Here it is, the one you’ve all been waiting for! A Black Cat review!!
After the various claims of superior pressing, better performance etc I just had to get one to test these claims out for myself. I contacted Charlie and he was supremely useful and sensationally quick to respond to emails! I placed my order and off we went.
As I did not particularly like their standard profile I had to go custom,
SPECS
2.10-2.11 dead weight
10+ blemish free and straight grains, made blemish free a priority!
Big edges, big middle, low middle, similar to the Redback allegiance profile (as this is what I use currently)
2 grips.
Was not adverse to heartwood as long as it was not 'messy' and followed the grain.
RECEIVED
2.10 dead weight
16 (well that’s what i count) dead straight and blemish free grains
a profile very much to my liking, similar to my Redbacks so perfect!
2 grips
Dead straight perfectly formed heartwood!
Not so bad eh?!
DELIVERY
Due to workshop email issues there was a slight delay in getting my address over to them so they could send. Nobody’s fault. After the address got to them it was delivered very quickly and without issue. Well packed etc so had no complaints.
LOOKS
Oh my word what a good looking bat!! The perfectly straight clean blade and the incredibly nice BlackCat stickers combine to make one of the best looking bats I have ever seen. The stickers are of a very high quality, well designed and are simple yet very effective. Most brands stickers look excellent and instantly tell you their product is decent, however only a select few brands have stickers that SCREAM quality and portray a sense of superiority. In my opinion Black Cat Crickets stickers fit into this category, I can’t get enough of them! Any bat with these stickers on is sure to look the bees knees!
PICKUP AND FEEL
It is a superbly balanced bat; it is up there with the best bats I have ever owned (which is a lot!). it picks up like a 2.8/9 bat, no joke! Of course his is aided by the 2 grips but none the less it has a superb pickup. Just by picking this mean machine up you can tell it has been handcrafted to perfection.
PING!!!!!
I will of course update this review when I have actually had a proper hit with it but on an initial mallet test and the very scientific ‘bouncing a ball on the face test’ it is going to be a beauty! It ranks alongside and perhaps above the best bats I have ever owned before (them being a L&W firefly, SC pro, and a Newbery mjolnir custom C6+). It is honestly that good.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Just one word need be used here, OUTSTANDING! Charlie is very quick with email responses, is polite, very useful and will do anything to help you.
It is here I will be very honest. Initially the bat I was sent matched all my specs exactly except the weight of it, it was too light. Many companies would have said unlucky and moved on however Charlie was excellent about it and offered to replace it. I took him up on this offer, and this one landed on my doorstep instead. (Disclaimer! I don’t want to guarantee he will replace everyone’s bats if they aren’t perfect! I think I was lucky as I think I’m right in thinking I’m the first to buy from the forum!)
CONCLUSION
Stunningly good customer service, a simply brilliant bat, what more can a person want? (well I would quite like it to morph into Cheryl Cole during the night but that’s probably asking a bit much!)
I honestly recommend everyone who’s looking for a bat to consider a Black Cat, although undoubtedly expensive it is still not as expensive as the majority of brands top of the range bats and I can guarantee it will be far superior to any bat you may be able to get from anywhere else. Trust me on this!
im not quite sure i have portrayed quite how good this bat is. i have owned 200+ bats and this instantly has wanged its way up to the top 3. when i play with it i would not be surprised if it was the best bat i have ever used.
If I have missed anything out just put a post up, enjoy some pictures!
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(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e155/slogger02/SNV34806.jpg)
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e155/slogger02/SNV34803.jpg)
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e155/slogger02/SNV34801.jpg)
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e155/slogger02/SNV34798.jpg)
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e155/slogger02/SNV34796.jpg)
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e155/slogger02/SNV34794.jpg)
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e155/slogger02/SNV34793.jpg)
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WOW 2.10 that looks like 2.12.. stickers and willow both look super!!
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Looks phenomenal!
And stickers look top quality!!
Update us when you use it properly as performance is the crucial part ;)
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Very nice looking bat mate.....somehow reminds me of the Newbery GT335 profile.....
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I really like that profile. I think that the bat looks amazing and im sure it will play well. It seems like there is a load of very good batmakers appearing in England at the moment that a year ago were unheard of!
Personally I dont merit spending £200+ on a bat, probably because I dont earn that sort of money lol, however, that bat above looks awesome and I hope it scores you loads of runs! :)
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Slogs - when will you be testing it in the nets???
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i think many people will and do spend £200+ on a bat, if they are going to do this they may aswell spend it on a brand that is going to give them a special bat in exchange. BlackCat and others can do that. hopefully this review will limit the number of original LE's etc on here and up the numbers of Black Cat's!
pete - it will be given a run out in the nets in Jan!
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Yeah I totally agree with you buddy, I would rather see someone spend £200+ on a custom made bat, such as a black cat, a redback, a warsop etc, because you are paying for something very special. A custom made bat to your specifications.
However, I have the luxury of the CJI cricket shop at the top of my road, and I can pick out a bat from say 150 bats to what I want! Even after 8 years of playing cricket, and only being 18, I still dont 100% know what my specs would be, so I go more on feel and pick up, and I think you can only do that by going into shops and picking bats up and cannot do that ordering a custom made.
However, this is for another topic. I think the bat you have received looks top notch. I think the finish on the bat is very nice and I love the profile. A lovely bat mate and I hope it serves you well!
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Very nice looking bat mate.....somehow reminds me of the Newbery GT335 profile.....
Doesn't look much like the GT to me...
Glad you're happy with it slogger.
Cheers
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I counted 19+ grains....
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I count 19 grains. The stickers look quite good as well!
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shows i obviously cant count! i was bound to be in all sorts of trouble after i ran out of fingers.
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Looks lovely.
Who makes Black Cat bats? Presumably they buy them in from a manufacturer/bat maker in the uk?
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BlackcatCricket (or Charlie) is best served to answer your questions Jamieh, as he runs the business.
By the way Charlie - nice looking bat. Will await his net test eagerly.
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Looks lovely.
Who makes Black Cat bats? Presumably they buy them in from a manufacturer/bat maker in the uk?
They are contract made for us here in the UK yes. Currently looking to get our own manufactuing site though.
Cheers
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Looks awsome!
loving that profile
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lovely looking bat. The profile is amazing and it only weighs in at 2.10 :o
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time for a performance update me thinks!
after knocking it in rather less than i probably should i took it down to nets for a bash around (well a gentle push around so not to break it!).
it......is......STUNNING!!!!!!!!!!!
thats about all i can say really, its the best bit of willow ive ever set eyes on and now its the best i have ever used (and ive used at least 100 bats in the past couple of years).
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That looks a very nice bat, this may have convinced Pete about them! If i do well in my exams next i will be able to buy one!
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paid for doing well in exams.....lucky bugger
ye i expect one of these will find its way to pete sooner or later. and if its anything like mine it'll be one of his better bats!
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Haha yes very fortunate! Hope it plays well for you this year mate.
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I am truly speechless. Where to begin?!
What an amazing bat. Loving the profile and the willow is perfect in every way. I have never seen that many grains, that straight! The stickers just ooze class. Its probably worth the money, but out of my price range